Aftermath
by Redlikeroses7
Summary: As Neo watched the airship fall out of the sky, and Ruby land safely, she could only assume one thing. Roman was dead. One shot.


The swirling wind and screeches of Grimm surrounded Neo as she descended to the ground at an alarming speed. Luckily, her umbrella opened up and slowed her down greatly. However, she still fell at a fast speed and tr ied to dodge the Nevermores that snapped at her. A true annoyance that she didn't want to have to deal with. All she had to do was make it to the floor and then Roman would pick her up.

The airship above gave off its monstrous hum that she still heard loud and clear admits the sounds of destruction. Below, the battle of students and teachers vs Grimm and robots still raged. Bullets flew and weapons made contact against chosen enemies.

Closing her parasol, Neo fell for a few seconds before landing on the head of a Nevermore and impaling it with the sharp sword end of her parasol. The Grimm gave off a dying screech and fell out of the sky. With such a large body, the thing fell quickly and dangerously.

Above, Roman battered Ruby around the makeshift arena. A one sided battle that could only end one way.

Neo grabbed hold of a couple feathers on the Grimm's back and prepared herself for the impact. Shutting her eyes, she focused on nothing but the wind that rushed past her ears and the howling sound it created.

Above, Roman gave off his final words as a monster swallowed him whole. A sudden end for a man with huge ambitions and plans.

The large Grimm Neo rode on crashed through the top of a building and cushioned Neo. Still, however, her pink Aura surrounded her and started mending any injuries the fall may have inflicted upon her body.

Above, Ruby misdirected the Grimm and sent it through the ship and into the main engine. Both the Grimm and airship died instantly. Explosions of great magnitude blew holes out of the sides of the airship and sent it crashing down in a ball of fire.

Neo heard everything; the Grimm's mighty screech, the deafening explosions, and the unmistakable sound of fire. Frantic, she ran out of the building and was one of the few to watch the colossal giant come crashing down as if in a hurry.

There was no aftermath explosion when it hit solid ground. There was no bigger flash of fire that consumed the entire ship. There was just the loud groaning and creaking of metal bending and crashing to the ground. Loud, painful, hopeless.

Neo's signature smile disappeared.

The wind kicked up by the impact rushed past Neo and threw up her hair. She turned her head and covered her eyes when dirt started flying at her. The sudden gust lasted for a few seconds before subsiding. When the dust cleared, Neo unshielded her eyes. Fire and catastrophe surrounded her and the city. Wasn't this what she and Roman wanted?

If it was, then why wasn't she happy?

Dropping her parasol, Neo ran towards the fallen ship. It couldn't be. Roman, her partner, dead? No. It shouldn't be real. It can't be real. Roman was supposed to live forever. He was supposed be be next to her laughing as they watched the world burn and become something better.

Halfway there, Neo noticed Ruby land on top of a building and leap away. Gasping slightly, Neo ran faster. If Little Red was alive then that meant Roman didn't succeed in taking her out. Why didn't he do it?

Beowolves swiped at Neo, but she paid them no attention and simply dodged their attacks and bee lined for the fire. Pulling out her Scroll, she began to quickly type away a message to Roman. If he was fine then he'd answer immediately. There wasn't ever a time she didn't see it in his hands for either work or mindless games. The thought of him playing a game amongst a raging fire brought an amused smile to her young face, but that soon fell when she remembered why she was running in the first place.

* * *

Roman walked down the street and turned into a skinny alleyway. Near the end of the alley was a door to the right.

"Hm?" Roman twirled his cane and studied the little girl that sat on the floor next to the steel door. Interestingly, she had pink and brown hair. Her clothing looked dirty and matted. She had her head between her knees that were tucked in close. She looked to be crying.

Rolling his eyes, Roman thought, "Great, an abandoned child."

It was either that or she had no family. Recently, Grimm activity had skyrocketed and that meant that small towns were easily wiped out. This little girl might've been one of those few survivors evacuated to the city.

Not being a fan of children, Roman contemplated whether to approach and shimmy around her or just wait until she left. What laid behind the door was top secret and only for his and select few other's eyes. So maybe going in right now was a bit risky.

While Roman wasn't one to completely ignore an uncomfortable situation, he still didn't want anything to do with this. Making up his mind, he chose to step around the poor little girl who didn't seem older than 11.

Without looking at her, Roman whistled and stepped over Neo. Neo whimpered. When she made a sound Roman couldn't help but look in her direction.

Neo looked up, her different colored eyes red from crying so much. In response, she whimpered and sunk into herself more. Sniffling, she stopped her crying and looked up pleadingly at Roman who was left unmoved by her sorrow.

Again, Roman rolled his eyes. Nothing was getting past his annoyance of this girl, "Word of advise, girlie, get outta here before I force you." Roman pointed his cane at her and opened the door with the swipe of a card.

Giving the sad girl one last look, Roman entered the building. The image of Neo continued to sit against the wall with no set purpose other than to distract. The door slammed shut.

* * *

A beowolf bit down on Neo's shoulder. What should've ripped her in two, shattered the illusion she left behind. The monster was disappointed not have a meal.

Neo ran until she reached the edge of the clearing the airship crashed in outside of the city. Goosebumps rose on her skin. The cold air competed with raging fire, but that fire was the only thing Neo felt.

Scroll still in hand, Neo dialed Roman's number. The call dropped immediately. For the first time in a long time, tears began to form in her eyes. Hateful, grief stricken tears nourished the grass and helped them grow stronger.

She gripped her Scroll harder and questioned whether or. It her search was going to end here and now. She had to know for sure if Roman was dead or not.

* * *

Roman dusted off his jacket and set his cane on a table, "Just can't catch a break." The place he was in was similar to a storage unit. With large boxes stacked all over the place and metal tanks of gaseous dust scattered aimlessly, it was quite a maze of metal.

Perhaps it was something else or the girl, but he wasn't in the right mindset. Being the first one to the meeting, Roman knew his associates would appear soon and probably scare off the girl. At least then he wouldn't be the one to have the pleasure to throw her to the curb even further.

Brushing back his orange hair, he started pulling out blueprints of another dust bank he planned to rob with his associates. Preparing his speech, he heard a sudden crashing sound behind him.

The sound startled him and made him look around quickly, "What the hell?!"

What baffled him was the sight of the same little girl from the alleyway inside with him. He was sure he had closed the door behind him, it even locked itself.

Neo stood with Roman's cane in her hands, apparently using it as a sword and accidentally hitting a glass cup and knocking it to the floor. Her face told Roman she was just as surprised as he was.

Shaking his head, Roman scoffed and approached Neo. Snatching the cane from her tiny form, Roman growled, "Do NOT touch this. Of course you wouldn't know how dangerous it is. Didn't your parents ever tell you never to touch other people's stuff?"

Neo sadly shook her head, unable to vocally respond. She put her hands together and shrunk under Roman's mad gaze.

"Well, I would've thought as much from someone who snuck into this place when I told you to go away, girlie." Roman reached for Neo's arm, meaning to throw her out.

However, the moment he touched her arm her form shattered like glass. The phenomenon put a stupid look on his face. "What?"

A girlish giggle brought his attention behind himself. There stood Neo all in one piece. Roman scoffed, knowing it had to be her Semblance somehow. His previous feeling of shock disappeared.

"Alright, listen here," Roman huffed and stomped towards Neo.

Neo giggled again then turned and ran.

"Ahhhhh stupid kids."

Not feeling up for a game of hide-and-seek, Roman ran after the girl. "Come on, little girl. This is seriously a hinderance on my time."

Neo ran happily behind a gas tank and stayed opposite to Roman who tried to get at her. She went still and broke into pieces when Roman grabbed her.

Disappointed, Roman heard the small pitter patter of feet off to his right. "Really?" Roman whined.

Neo ran up a staircase that led up to a small upper level stacked with more boxes and crates. Roman followed closely behind, taking his time because he knew she was running to a dead end. When he reached the top he crossed his arms and looked expectantly at Neo.

Sighing, Roman brought index finger and thumb close until they almost touched "Had enough fun, girlie? Because, frankly, I'm this close to literally throwing out the door. Like really tossing you face first into the wall."

Whether or not she understood was left unknown to Roman. Neo looked smug and walked towards Roman, only to seemingly disappear into thin air before him.

Seeing the girl vanish somehow didn't phase Roman. Instead, he threw his head back and seemed to be done with her antics, "Gahhh! What's this? Another one of your tricks?"

It was dead silent.

"I know you can hear me, little girl. Where are you now so I can teach you some manners?"

Again, no reply. Now that he thought of it, the girl had yet to say a single word. Whatever.

Taking small steps, Roman made his way to where the girl was, "I'm really not up for your gimmick. Now be a good girl and-" The scene before him shattered. An entire section of his vision broke into pieces and was replaced by the same thing, an exact copy of what really stood there.

Then it hit him. This reminded him of an illusionist he'd once met. Neo was creating copies of the what he saw or what should've been there right in front of him. She put up a wall of the original scene before herself to disappear. But she wasn't there anymore. If that was the case then she could only be…

Roman face palmed when he turned around and barely caught a glimpse of Neo running down the stairs, "Outdone by a girl half my age. Wonderful."

* * *

In a desperate attempt to take away her uneasiness, Neo sent Roman a message through her Scroll.

 _Roman? Where are you?_

A minute went by.

 _I saw Little Red. Did she hurt you?_

 _Are you alright? Please answer me!_

No answer. It seemed like ten whole minutes had gone by before Neo finally fell to her knees before the fire. What was she to do without Roman? Go back to Cinder? Leave?

The feeling of lose washed over her, something she hadn't felt in many years since Roman found her. It was a sudden hit to her heart that made her arch forward and cry all over again. The hot tears fell down her cheeks and dropped into the floor. So many years of companionship lost in a matter of minutes.

What had happened? They were winning. They had her on the ropes, an inch from death. What did she do? Did she kill Roman? She must've.

But Neo almost rejected to believe this. Roman was too skilled in fighting to lose so easily to a Beacon student. But it was so clear. Ruby was alive, and Roman was nowhere to be seen. Little Red killed Roman. That red cloaked reaper had taken away her hero and savior.

Dark thoughts passed through her mind as the main hull of the airship exploded. Debris flew into the air. Scraps of metal of different sizes fell back and embedded themselves into the soft soil. One such piece the size of a car sunk partway into the ground next to Neo. Across it read one word: ATLAS.

* * *

Roman sat down at the table with the blueprint. He used one hand to brush his hair. "So, girlie, can you talk?"

Neo stood nearby, agreeing to talk to Roman after he called a truce. Hands behind her back, she shook her head.

"Alright, fine. Well, isn't this just an interesting predicament I've found myself in." Roman slouched in his chair and sighed, trying to think of what to ask, "So, do you ever talk?"

Neo thought for a moment before nodding with a smile.

Roman rubbed his face and said sarcastically, "Outstanding, she's a mute by choice." He cleared his throat and pointed a finger at Neo. "Alright, I'm not one to exchange names with a stranger I don't plan on meeting again, but you've peaked my interests, girlie."

There was a moment of silence where Roman looked at Neo and likewise.

Clearly she might not have caught on, but Roman helped her out, "Name! What's your name? You can say that to me at least, right?"

Neo frowned and bit her bottom lip then shook her head. Before Roman could question with annoyance Neo grabbed a marker from the edge of the table and went on her tippy toes to write her name on the blueprint.

Before she could start writing, Roman reached over quickly and grabbed her wrist. "Hey hey hey! No! Important documents, girlie. If it's not your stuff then don't touch it." Roman looked to stop talking but quickly backed himself up, "Of course unless you really want it or need it more then them."

Neo gave Roman a blank stare. Thinking of a solution, Roman held out the hand that grabbed her, "Here. You can write it on the back of my hand."

Hesitant at first, Neo took Roman's hand and wrote her whole name on it. Roman brought it to his face for inspection, "Hm. Neopolitan, huh? I'll just call you Neo." He turned his head to look at her pink and brown hair and eyes. "Your parents really must've had a sense a humor, girlie."

Neo shrugged, unsure on how to respond to that considering what had happened. Roman noticed, but decided not to say anything. He wasn't her therapist. He just wanted her out for the most part, but she was an interesting one. With a Semblance like hers there so much they could do robbery-wise.

 _Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

Their attention went to the only exit, the same metal door they had come in from. Neo immediately backed away with a nervous look and vanished, putting up an illusion in front of herself.

Roman didn't know what to make of this for a moment. His associates were here to discuss the plan, but he felt he wasn't done with Neo. He looked at the spot where Neo vanished before getting up and opening the door.

Two men and one woman stood in the doorway, his partners in crime.

Roman spread out his arms and exclaimed happily, "Ahhhhh gentlemen!"

The girl argued, "Hey!"

The bravado he had on display previously broke down, replaced with slight urgency, "Yes yes, you're a woman big whoop. Well, my friends, it seems we have good and bad news."

The man on the right questioned, "What do you mean by good and bad news? Don't give us this bull again." He said it almost threateningly.

Unfazed by the tone of the man's voice, Roman replied with confusion, "Well, I mean I have good news that's good and bad news that's- I don't get what's confusing you here."

"Enough of the act, Roman. What's wrong?" said the man on the left.

Roman sighed, "I'll go over that right now, but as per usual, Junior, you're more civilized than your cousin."

Junior looked pleased with himself and gave his cousin a smug look.

"Well, I've ran across some setbacks in the plan and need at least one more day before the plan is finished. Mmmmmmmm two day." Roman finished off his explanation by holding up two fingers.

The woman rolled her eyes, "Well, we'll just come in and help."

Roman scoffed loudly, making his associates look at him. "Come on, really? You think you can help me plan out a heist, little miss princess?"

"Whaddya mean by that, Ronan?"

"Uh, Junior, tell your cousin to shut up please. And it's Roman, not Ronan."

Junior stopped his cousin from throwing a fist. Instead, Junior asked, "Whaddya, mean by that?"

Roman rubbed his temples, "Must I really remind you three of what happened the last time you tried to help Roman Torchwick with a heist?"

In the end, the three left to leave Roman alone to tend to the planning. Mentally exhausted from having to deal with them, Roman rubbed his cheeks and turned back around to see Neo take down the wall she had between them.

Witnessing her ability again, Roman smiled with a glint in his green eyes.

In response, Neo smiled with the same amount of excitement in her eyes that Roman had in his. Then she blinked, the colors of her eyes switching places.

* * *

 _Please don't leave me._

 _What do I do without you? Please tell me._

 _Roman, you're not pranking me are you? Stop it!_

 _You're not tricking...are you?_

 _I miss you, Roman._

 _I won't say bye until you say first._

 _Please, say it._

 _Say 'bye'._

 _Say it, Roman!_

 _Say it!_

 _I won't let go. Not now._

 _Please, Roman, I can't handle this right now. I need you._

 _Did I ever tell you my favorite color was green? Like your eyes._

 _Funny thing is I don't even like chocolate ice cream, but you already knew that right?_

 _I knew I would have to let you go someday. I just never knew it'd be today._

It seemed no reply would ever come. Neo stared to the message she typed but didn't send; _I love you._

She left it as a draft and snapped her Scroll shut, holding it against her teary face. He clenched her teeth and let the pain stab her in the stomach, over and over again. She hoped the feeling would numb, but it never did.

The unfair feeling of rejection stung her eyes. Neo got up and staggered her way to the tail of the airship, the only part not scorched or on fire. Most of the cargo was spilled onto the floor; mechanical robot limbs and ATLAS weaponry. Shuffling into the open cargo door, Neo stood amongst the graveyard of robots. Just past her was the ripped interior of the burning airship. In the center laid a dead Griffon, it's body broken.

A small squeak forced its way from Neo's lips. It was pitiful and broken, like any voice coming from a devastated person.

"Roman."

Neo held herself with her arms and turned to leave. That's when she noticed something. One of the many dismembered metal arms was holding something; a bowler hat. Roman's bowler hat.

"Ah!" Neo cried out and almost tripped on hardware when she bolted to grab the hat. She held it tight, keeping it close to herself as she wept quietly. Eight years worth of sadness spilling from her eyes. Eight years she would never have again. The same eight years she wished she could live again.

The burning airship groaned loudly, as if mourning with her.

* * *

Roman read through an article on the front page of a newspaper. In the middle of it was a picture of a young cat Faunus protesting amongst many other Faunus also holding signs with their own demands.

He adjusted the sunglasses he wore and flipped through the other pages until he came across the Comics section.

Sighing in content, Roman said, "Ahhh. Now THIS is news."

He was currently in an isolated area of a park, that was popular with families, to keep a low profile since it was around this time he was just labeled a menace by the police department. The forces hardly ever patrolled this area since criminal activity was low in parks, obviously.

A shuffling sound came from across the bench Roman sat in. He set down the paper and wasn't surprise to see young Neo sitting across, now wearing clean clothes thanks to him.

" _Think of it as an initiation,_ " Roman had said to Neo when he tasked her to 'borrow without being noticed' from a local dust store.

Roman cracked his knuckles and leaned towards the girl, "Alright, sweetheart, let's hear what you scored."

Neo gave him an unamused half-lidded look.

"Right. I forgot." Roman waved his previous mistake of asking Neo to speak and continued, "Just spill it."

Neo removed the backpack she hid with her Semblance and spilled its contents onto the wooden table. Dust crystals of many colors rolled out along with just as many prepackaged vials of powdered Dust.

Roman acted like this was what he expected, but inside he was surprised that she was able to take so much all on her own. Her Semblance truly gave her the kind of edge he needed in his sort of business.

He grabbed a yellow crystal with his gloved hand and smiled at Neo, "This, sweetheart, is why I do what I do. This is what's gonna help us survive together." He took off his sunglasses and inspected a green crystal.

Neo smiled proudly and reached inside her backpack. From it she took out a black bowler hat with a red band and a feather tucked into it. Something else she must've stolen. While Roman was inspecting each crystal Neo stood on her seat and placed the hat on his head.

"Wha?" Roman froze. He looked at Neo's innocent smile and slowly reached up to his head. He felt the surface of the hat and removed it. He put a hand to his chin and inspected the hat with genuine interest, "Hmmmm. Not quite what I'd usually wear, but I do look stylish in anything." He placed the hat back on his head with a smile and looked expectantly at Neo, "So… how do I look?"

Neo smiled and gave Roman two thumbs up with a face that said Very stylish!

Roman nodded and tipped the hat with a wink, "Alright then, sweetheart, maybe I'll keep it then."

* * *

Parasol in hand and bowl hat on head, Neo made her way towards the student evacuation airships. Hot, angry tears clung to her skin as she only had one person in mind; Ruby. The little devil had taken Roman from her, and she was going to pay with blood.

She cleared the city and found herself at the piers where a mass of students still waited to leave. Neo's eyes switched colors.

Ruby was somewhere in the there. She had to be.

With a look of absolute hatred, Neo merged into the crowd and shoved people out of her way. The looks she gave people when they called out in annoyance gave them chills and a feeling of uneasiness.

It didn't take long before she found Ruby along with the Heiress. The memories she shared with her self proclaimed hero filled her again. The feeling of rage and jealousy filled her to the point where she almost lost it then and there. Why did Little Red get to live when someone like Roman had to die? It was too unfair.

Another tear fell to the concrete as Neo pressed a button on her parasol, the razor sharp sword protruding from its tip. Her angry eyes switched colors, both fixated on Ruby's unprotected, vulnerable back.

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Neo's Scroll binged. Against her own will, she slid open the device.

 _New Message: Roman T. (1 New Mssg.)_

 _Damn, sweetheart. If I'd know you'd say this stuff I would've died a long time ago. Anyway, you would NOT believe just how disgusting it is inside a Grimm. Plus, no service in one. Stupid I know. Took forever to cut through the damn thing's thick skin too. Also, note, but a Griffon's skin is apparently fire proof. Now we know._

Neo stared at the message, not even noticing that Ruby and Weiss had run off. She almost smiled, but ended up crying instead seeing evidence of her hero being alive. She looked towards the pillar of smoke that came from the downed airship, where Roman was.

Her Scroll binged again.

 _New Message: Roman T. (1 New Mssg.)_

 _Btw. Have you seen my hat?_

Neo looked at the draft she had behind. And after a moment's thought she sent it.


End file.
